The United States has amassed a military presence near Iran that has not been seen in decades, with nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, hundreds of combat aircraft, guided missile destroyers, and thousands of soldiers strategically positioned, forming a strike force ready to act within hours, pending a political decision in Washington.
According to recent reports, the Pentagon has concentrated a military force in the Middle East combining offensive capability, constant surveillance, and anti-missile defense.
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Two carrier strike groups lead the naval deployment, the USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS Gerald R. Ford, supported by a fleet of warships capable of launching long-range precision missiles. The build-up reflects escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, particularly concerning Iran’s nuclear program.
The USS Abraham Lincoln has the capacity for 65 aircraft although the USS Gerald R Ford can accommodate 75. Each carrier is accompanied by three guided missile destroyers.
The U.S. Military deployment near Iran. (AFP).
The air component is equally robust, with more than 400 aircraft – including stealth fighters, electronic reconnaissance planes, maritime patrol aircraft, and refueling tankers – enabling continuous operations and simultaneous attacks from multiple fronts. This air power is complemented by reinforced military bases and approximately 15,000 personnel deployed to strategic locations in the Persian Gulf, the eastern Mediterranean, and areas near key maritime routes.
CNN reported that at least 18 F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters are now stationed at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in northern Jordan.
The network also cited satellite imagery showing the arrival of several E/A-18 Growlers at the base, aircraft capable of conducting electronic warfare campaigns against enemy air defenses and communication infrastructure.
At Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, CNN confirmed the arrival of additional U.S. Military aircraft, including several E-3 Sentry planes, which are essential for warning U.S. Commanders of incoming enemy forces or missiles and facilitating battlefield communications.
The U.S. Aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford crossing the Strait of Gibraltar on its way to the Middle East. (Photo by David Parody / DM Parody / AFP).
/ DAVID PARODY
According to data from FlightRadar24, the United States is constantly monitoring the Strait of Hormuz with P-8 Poseidon aircraft and MQ-4 Triton drones, stationed in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and other locations in the region.
CNN reported that Iran is reinforcing several of its nuclear facilities, using concrete and large amounts of earth to bury key sites.
On Wednesday evening, U.S. Media reported that Pentagon military strategists have already prepared plans for attacks against Iran, awaiting only an order from Trump to take action. However, the president stated on Thursday that he was giving the Islamic Republic 10 days to negotiate an finish to its nuclear program.
On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqhchi declared that You’ll see “quality possibilities” of resolving differences between his country and the United States over the nuclear program through diplomatic channels. He added that he expects a new round of talks on Thursday in Geneva.
Pressure First, Strike if Negotiations Fail
U.S. President Donald Trump (left) and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / various sources / AFP).
/ ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS –
Defense and intelligence specialist Andrés Gómez de la Torre argues that the current U.S. Military movement responds to a clear strategic logic: “first deterrence, then coercion, and if negotiations fail, punitive actions.”
He explains that Washington is applying a doctrine of “gradualism and phased ultimatum,” in which the visible deployment of force seeks to pressure Tehran before resorting to direct attack.
He notes that this approach aligns with the historical strategy attributed to President Trump of keeping “all options on the table,” combining diplomatic, military, and psychological pressure to force concessions. In that vein, the president has indicated he is even considering a limited strike if a nuclear agreement cannot be reached.
Gómez de la Torre emphasizes that “the military muscle displayed is not symbolic. The United States currently concentrates two aircraft carriers and a large escort fleet in the region, part of the largest deployment since the Iraq War.”
In the air component, he says the presence of stealth fighters and attack squadrons indicates readiness for real operations and that it is not merely a show of force.
Iranians walk past a large billboard with a poem in Persian that reads “Human will overcome evil” in Valiasr Square in Tehran, Iran, on February 21, 2026. (EFE/EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH).
/ ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
For Gómez de la Torre, this pattern demonstrates strategic coherence with Washington’s previous decisions: it is not an improvised move, but a planned sequence designed to force negotiations under pressure.
However, he warns that the Iranian scenario differs from other recent conflicts such as that of Venezuela, where the United States intervened militarily to capture Nicolás Maduro, because there is a real risk of regionalization of the conflict if an confrontation erupts, given that several countries neighboring the Islamic Republic are allies of the United States and that Israel is part of the strategic balance.
Regarding a possible Iranian response, the analyst predicts that it would not be conventional. He points out that Tehran would likely resort to asymmetric tactics: ballistic missiles of various ranges, drones – including swarm attacks – and the activation of allied militias in various points of the region, a combination designed to compensate for its disadvantage against U.S. Military power.
